Episode 3 of "The Queen Who Crowns" kicks off with a thrilling scene where Won-gyeong bravery shields the king, absorbing a blow meant for him on her back. In response, the king issues an immediate order for the arrest of Taesangwang. Subsequently, King Bang-won interrogates the queen about the uncanny precision of her actions, to which she plays down as mere happenstance, revealing that clandestine intelligence operations are neither condoned nor tolerated within the realm.
Delving deeper, the king uncovers a startling revelation: the private army loyal to his father had secretly aligned with the perpetrators of the recent assault. Complicating matters further, members of this clandestine force are intertwined within the kingdom's central military. The king realizes with alarm that the Gabyeolcho, after eliminating him, intends to seize the palace. He confronts his father, who repeats his stance that Bang-won is unworthy of the throne.
Elsewhere, the queen and her brother confer in hushed tones about the necessity of maintaining the integrity of their intelligence network, stressing the peril of exposing it to the king. Meanwhile, at court, the king, seeking legitimacy for his filial piety, initiates discussions aimed at deposing the queen. She, astute to his motives, recognizes that he fears her burgeoning authority following the attack and is preemptively attempting to quell her influence. Unperturbed by the looming threat to her position, she speculates that the attack might be part of a broader conspiracy, potentially involving the king's sole surviving elder brother, the Sangwang. The queen posits a scenario where the Gabyeolcho seizes the palace and installs Sangwang as the new ruler.
Intriguingly, this aligns precisely with the machinations of the former King Tae-jo. However, there's a catch: Sangwang himself is reluctant to ascend the throne—at least, not yet. Meanwhile, Chae-ryeong endeavors to convince the queen of her loyalty, but the queen perceives a shift in Chae-ryeong's demeanor since her status elevated. It becomes evident that Chae-ryeong is now avidly seeking to bear as many royal heirs as possible to curry favor with the king.
Later, as the queen observes the progress of the youngest prince and Yeong-sil's son in their studies, she becomes aware of the king's区别对待对待 Yeong-sil's son, treating him differently from her own children. Eventually, the king uncovers the queen's secret intelligence operations. Seizing the moment, Won-gyeong voices her concerns about Sangwang, but the king, reluctant to slay another of his brothers, warns her to stay away from the matter, insisting that he will handle it personally.
In parallel, the leaders of Tae-jo's clandestine military forces convene and resolve to reveal to Sangwang the confidential royal mandate they had endorsed, aiding him in making a pivotal decision. They entrust this document to Yeong-sil's maid, tasked with delivering it to Sangwang's palace. Concurrently, Pan-su, the queen's liaison for her expansive intelligence network, apprises her of the Gabyeolcho's gathering.
As night descends, the king visits Chae-ryeong. In the dead of night, he awakens abruptly. A pact is forged between them: Chae-ryeong vows to betray the queen and furnish the king with intelligence, in exchange for which the king promises her his undivided attention.
Shortly thereafter, it transpires that an envoy from Min has halted negotiations aimed at deposing the queen. Meanwhile, court officials urge the king to seek the queen's mediation as a bridge for the impending talks with the Ming envoy, whose sole objective is to secure tribute. However, aligning with the current Ming government could pose further complications for the nation if they were to lose to a rival ruler in their ongoing conflict. Consequently, the king enlists the queen to persuade Tae-jo. Yet, as the episode concludes, the talks disintegrate.
